The ITU Sport Development program has returned to Tiszaujvaros Hungary to the TVK-Mali -ITU Accredited Training Centre for a pre-worlds base camp.

The Camp is being held from the 22nd August to the 8th September for selected athletes and home coaches across every continent of the globe.

The camp takes on a slightly different feel this year, with the primary focus to provide identified and scholarship athlete’s a supportive environment in which they can train to their individual programs in the lead up to the World Championships. This is the final phase of the 4 year process that was put in place to get ITU’s first ever accredited training centre fully functional in being able to provide a supportive environment for athletes and coaches of varying abilities over an extended period of time. It has developed into a win, win for athlete’s and home coaches, with the benefit of being able to adhere to their home programmes, complimented by the support of a team environment and the Head Coaches on site. This way the athletes have the best possible opportunity to perform at their best.

“The new format for the ITU Development Camp is challenging for coaches, but a logical extension of the great service the ITU provides to its developing athletes.”

Bobby McGee, Coach

According to one of the lead the coaches, Bobby McGee, “the new format for the ITU Development Camp is challenging for coaches, but a logical extension of the great service the ITU provides to its developing athletes. Managing the planning from home coaches and executing the sessions effectively for the athletes allows staff to observe what the coaches are up to with these great athletes and be their eyes and ears while their athletes prepare for the biggest event of the year on the ITU calendar. The work coming through is progressive, well planned and shows that the athletes are in good hands and that coach education efforts are working well.”

The athletes have been full of praise for this new camp concept. “The organization of the camp is incredible. From the minute we arrived we´ve had amazing support from the coaches and from the people that prepare the food here in Hotel Garden Panzio, who take really good care of us. We´re here in a small town called Tiszaujvaros, Hungary however the facilities are at a high performance level, which is just what we need with only two weeks left before the WCS Grand Final. In addition to training hard, we are also having a lot of fun and meeting athletes from all over the world. This is an amazing opportunity and we have the ITU to thank for this.” said Leonardo Chacon speaking on behalf of the group of athletes from Pan America.

Tiszaujvaros has become the spiritual home of the ITU Sport Development program, hosting both the inaugural World Junior Camp in 2006 and 2007, and the European Junior Camp in 2008.